According to research by the British Social Attitudes Survey the number of North East people admitting to being racially prejudiced has increased

The number of North East people admitting to being racially prejudiced has soared since the Millennium.

Back in 2000 only 13% of those in the region said they held such views, the lowest figure in the UK.

However, according to research by the British Social Attitudes Survey, the number has more than doubled to 29% in 2013.

While the North East still falls behind the two regions with the biggest number - Yorkshire and Humberside and the West Midlands with 36% - it still represents the largest leap of all UK regions in the 13 years between the surveys.

Hari Shukla, vice chair of the Newcastle Council of Faiths who has devoted 40 years to improving race relations in the city for which he was awarded an OBE, said: “It’s disappointing that after the work that’s been done over the last 40 years there are still these pockets of ignorance.

“It shows we can’t relax and we need to keep at it all the time.”

He said a lot of the prejudice is based on myths about immigrants coming to this country and taking jobs or claiming benefits which become particularly poisonous during times of hardship like now.

“If you look at history, people who have come to the region have come to work and they have provided jobs for the indigenous population,” he said.

In the recent local and European elections, the right wing anti immigration party Ukip made sweeping gains including landing its first ever MEP for the region, Jonathan Arnott.

Mr Arnott said on being elected that his was the party “that says no to uncontrolled immigration”.

Mr Shukla added: “Certain political parties use things to help them win votes. Certain parties have an agenda.”

He said that nobody was for uncontrolled immigration.

However he added: “We need to highlight the positive things that have resulted from immigration. Of course there have been problems but immigrants have put millions into the local economy and added to the cultural life of the community.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah said she was saddened by the figures.

“As a child growing up in Newcastle I often experienced racism, indeed some places were no go areas to me because of it.

“But then as a city we worked hard for understanding, tolerance, good neighbourliness – to enjoy each others’ differences and celebrate our strengths.

“So it is sad and indeed tragic if we really are going back to the bad old days of blaming someone’s skin colour for the challenges we all face.

“I’m on Newcastle doorsteps every week, I do not believe that almost one in three people is racist – I do think however that many are being told that being racist is the only way to address a recession caused by an out-of-control global financial sector and for which this Tory-led Government is still disproportionately targeting the North East.

“The housing crisis, job insecurity, low pay and exploitation these are real problems but they can and must be tackled without racism.”